The Manner of Amy's Death (17 page)

       “Right, my Lady,” says Robert striding through the Great Hall
in his riding attire, “Events are moving fast now.  Mary’s close to death and has sent the Spanish ambassador to meet Princess Elizabeth with the news that the succession is to be determined by their father’s will ……. and since Henry, our noble Prince, decided that Mary would be succeeded by Elizabeth in the event of Mary being without issue, all is set for a smooth change.  However there are some who wish Elizabeth ill and would prefer to see her Catholic cousin, Mary Stuart, on the throne.  Since we cannot tell where this may lead, it will be safer if I move you and your household to Lincoln where you will be far away from any fighting or, I shudder to say, civil war or invasion from France.”

       “
Lincoln!”  Amy is speechless.  “But I thought you said that all would go smoothly once the succession was decided by Queen Mary.”

       “There will be no arguing, my Lady
.  The future, and
our
future, depends on far more than your frivolous thoughts and wishes.  I have made all the necessary arrangements with friends.  You will travel to Lincoln tomorrow.”

       With this he leaves us, striding back down the hall where Mr Hyde is waiting in the doorway.  From the window Amy and I can see the two men talking earnestly while the groom brings Robert a new horse.  With a wave to his friend, Amy’s husband gallops away in the direction of Hatfield.

       Two weeks later we’re in Lincoln and there’s a tremendous commotion in the streets.  People are running and shouting and the church bells are ringing.  The news has reached us this far north that Queen Mary is dead and that Elizabeth is our new Queen.  Throngs of people appear from nowhere, all laughing and celebrating, tables are set up in the street and folk carry out of their houses whatever they can spare, a ham, a pie, a loaf of bread, some butter and cheese and flagons of ale. 

       Poor Mary!  There will be no mourning for the Queen, once welcomed as the rightful heir, now hated and despised for bringing
England to the brink of ruin.  The only person with a very long face – and it’s not on account of Mary – is my friend Amy.

A Different Kind of Life

In
Lincoln we hear all manner of things about Elizabeth’s triumph and nothing is to Amy’s liking.  Elizabeth has allowed a brief period to elapse (to show a dignified respect for her sister!) before making her triumphant journey into London.  People report how the new Queen looked everywhere to catch the admiring glances of the crowd, smiling at some, speaking graciously with others and waving at the cheering onlookers.  She was in no hurry and ready to savour the moment to the full.  Riding immediately behind her, clothed in rich and splendid attire, was her new equerry, Master of the Queen’s Horse, Robert Dudley.

       “So rebellion was avoided then,” says Amy, disconsolately and unnecessarily.

       “It would appear so – but this is merely the beginning and we must look to the future to see what will happen next.  After all there will be no more moments like this.  It’s a one-off and Robert will have to remember that he too has a family life to attend to.”  I’m trying to look on the bright side for Amy’s sake.

       “No, Kat,
I think not.  This is what he’s always wanted.  He and Elizabeth have been the best of friends since childhood and she’ll come to depend on him more and more.  As Master of the Horse he’ll always need to be there, organising pageants and royal progresses, ensuring that the Queen has the best hunting parties and riding out with her.  Already I’m a widow.”

       “No, no, dear Amy.  Lord Robert loves you and will not desert you, just you wait and see.”  I try to put as much conviction as I can into these sentiments.

      By Christmas Lord Robert has sent his men to take us back to Throcking.

       “My
Lady Amy welcome back, welcome back,” says Mr Hyde.  “Your dear husband, our Lord Robert, has been especially chosen by the Queen to be at her side during the festivities.  How you and your kin are favoured.  It must be wonderful for you to know that your dear Lord is so favoured.”

       “Yes, indeed it is, Mr
Hyde.  You are most kind and I’m sure that your kindness will be long remembered by my Lord.”

       Mr Hyde smiles and bows
obsequiously and leaves.  Three servant girls enter with some spiced wine and little cakes. 

       “Oh Lady Amy,” says one coyly, “Your Lord Robert is held in great esteem by the Queen
and people say he leaves her not, day and night, so determined is he that she will have a prosperous start to her reign.”

       “Yes and they say that she is so pleased to have such a noble Lord accompanying her
that she made him her Master of the Horse so that he should always be there,” says another.

       “They say that he went to congratulate her on the day of the old Queen’s death and looked so handsome and dashing on his white stallion that
Elizabeth almost swooned to see him thus.”

       “They say that Lord Robert and the Queen are inseparable.  They make each other laugh and the ambassadors complain that
England will be run by a group of young people who will do as they choose.”

       “Well,” retorts Amy through gritted teeth in a smiling face, “
I thank you all for your views on the subject.  I am sure that it will be a change to see England governed in a more light hearted way and in a spirit of generosity.  And,” she says turning towards the one who made the comments about the Master of the Horse, “When I need some knowledge about my husband’s appointments I am sure I will not have to ask a common serving girl.  But thank you for your information – albeit news that is already weeks old.  And I wish to remind you all that England is governed by the Queen and her Lord Secretary, William Cecil, and her advisors like Thomas Parry – and
not
by my poor kin.  Moreover, if I hear you once more gossiping about my husband and the Queen, I will report your insolence to Mr Hyde and you will all be looking for positions in a new household.”

       Phew!  The servant girls go bright red, curtsey to Amy and walk out much subdued.

       “They did that on purpose.”

        “What?”

       “Curtsey.  They were mocking me.”

       “No, Amy, I don’t think they were.  I thin
k that they knew they’d gone too far by trying to find out how much you knew and they were afraid for their positions in the household which they thought they might lose if you were angry with them.  They’re just silly empty headed girls.”

       “But if this is what they are saying to my f
ace, Kat, then what is everyone saying behind my back?”

       There’
s nothing I can say to this.

       “I’
ll be glad,” says Amy wearily, “When Robert asks me to join him at court.  That will silence the gossips.”

  
    But Christmas has gone and still Amy has still not been invited to join her husband at court.  Lord Robert says he is very busy with the task of planning the Queen’s Coronation which is to take place on January 16
th
so there will be no time for him to travel north to Hertfordshire. We are left to imagine what the Christmas festivities have been like at the Queen’s residence at Whitehall and what part Amy’s husband has played in the celebrations.  Elizabeth loves dancing and Robert is an athletic dancer! 

      
Throcking Manor was merry this year with dancing and music, story telling and masques – all the kinds of thing that Amy would normally revel in.  Yet I haven’t seen her smile for many weeks.  She received presents from her husband, delivered by his henchmen, a gold chain and some pretty gold buttons for her gown.  She examined them carefully, unsmiling and thoughtful, and I could read her mind; she was wondering what Robert had bought for the Queen and whether his presents to Elizabeth were much more extravagant.

       In
January she receives a letter from her husband with the news from court.  Elizabeth has given Robert, as a Christmas present, a gilt cup and a mansion at Kew not far from the Palace of Sheen where Robert and Amy were married almost nine years ago.  Amy also discovers that Elizabeth spent her first nights in London in Somerset House, Amy and Robert’s former home!  This reminds my friend of the dresses she was forced to leave behind when we fled the city as traitors! 

      
Finally, in March, another letter brings a piece of news that should make Amy rejoice but doesn’t; Robert is to be made a Knight of the Garter, the highest honour his sovereign can confer upon him but this piece of news is to be kept a secret as Elizabeth has not yet made her decision official.  The announcement will be made on St George’s Day as is customary.  Robert, however, then delights Amy by saying that first he intends to spend Easter at Throcking.

       “There you are,” I say, “He was just waiting until all the business of the coronation was out of the way.  Now he
misses you and wants to join you soon.”

       “But I thought the Garter Knights were all noblemen
from ancient families,” says Amy, “So why has Robert been singled out by the queen to receive such an honour.  Both his father and his uncle were traitors and stripped of their membership of the Order of Knights of the Garter.”

       “
It will be for everything he did preparing for her coronation.  Robert always works hard as you know and, by all accounts, the coronation went smoothly with no hiccoughs.  No wonder Elizabeth decided to reward him.”

    
  Secretly I’m worried – I have to reassure Amy, who hasn’t been well and is suffering from her old problem, usually brought on by worry, but I’m very concerned for her.  The gossip among the servants is that Amy’s husband is the Queen’s favourite and that the two of them are never far apart. 

      
But what can Elizabeth do?  Robert is a married man and even the Queen cannot take another woman’s husband.  Can she?

       Robert arrives
at Easter with everything that’s necessary to make the occasion a memorable one, entertainers and musicians, cooks, wonderful food and spices for the feasting and a host of admiring followers.  His clothes are the finest money can buy, a declaration of his elevated position at court; he’s certainly been catapulted to fame and he’s revelling in his new found success. 

      
But, when he leaves a few days later, Amy’s disappointed that her husband hasn’t been more loving towards her.  Indeed he’s almost ignored her presence in the house, staying up late into the night, drinking and playing cards with his men and with Mr Hyde and finally collapsing into bed in his own chamber.  She wants for nothing now as Robert ensures that all our needs are met and that we can all live well at Throcking.  The only missing ingredient is love. Lord Robert no longer shows any real affection for his wife.

       Amy’s health deteriora
tes especially when she thinks that she’s not to be invited to Robert’s investiture as a Garter Knight, set to take place in early June at the castle of Windsor.  She’s depressed and, I fear, has heard the many rumours that are circulating about her husband’s relationship with the Queen and that are now becoming common knowledge. Robert, hearing of his wife’s condition, ensures that his physician sends her certain potions to ease her pain.

      
Amy’s illness takes a dramatic turn when she begins to vomit.  She can hardly keep a meal down and is becoming quite thin.  As usual she doesn’t hesitate to voice her concerns.

       “I’
m being poisoned.  I am sure of it.  I’ve never felt this way in my whole life,” Amy tells Mr and Mrs Hyde, who look at each other in horror.

       “My dear Lady Amy,” says Mr Hyde, “You must not say such things.  You will bring my house and my family into disrepute if you maintain that you are being poisoned by the food I serve.  I beg you - take care to eat only those broths which agree with you as, it seems to me, you have a malady of the stomach
caused by your other illnesses.”

       Back in
the privacy of our chamber Amy’s furious.  “I
am
being poisoned Kat.  I don’t know who’s responsible but I have never, never felt so ill in my whole life.  What can I do?  I have to eat but someone is putting something into my food.”

       “Try not to be so fearful,” I
reassure her.  “From now on I’ll go down to the kitchen and prepare your food myself.  That will enable us to make a clear decision about your predicament.  Nothing will pass your lips that I have not prepared with my own hand and I’ll even taste it first.”

       So it is that I teach myself the art of cookery, cutting the meat to make Amy a broth that she may find appetising and safe and baking her bread myself.

       “Don’t forget the Lady Amy’s powder,” says one of the servants, regarding me with a mixture of amusement and disdain.

       Lady Amy’s powder!  The medicine sent by Robert’s own physician and delivered by the man Amy most distrusts, Richard
Verney!  The powders are kept in a locked cabinet and I have to ask for the key.  Taking care not to be seen I remove the lot and slip them into my apron pocket, relocking the cabinet and putting the key in my pocket alongside the powders.  Later the key will be missed but I can claim that I left it by the cabinet and that it must have fallen to the ground and been brushed away with the floor sweepings.  For the first time in many days Amy has broth with no added medicine.